Cabbage Borscht

From Anna Gonshor

When most people hear the word borscht, a deep red soup full of beets automatically comes to mind. However, borscht was first made with cow parsnip, a white-coloured root related to carrots, and it was only in the mid-sixteenth century that people started using the red, modern-day beetroot to make the soup. In Eastern Europe, borscht was also made with cabbage.

Anna Gonshor grew up eating cabbage borscht with a thick slice of kimmel bread. Anna’s mom would sometimes “cheat” and replace the cabbage with sauerkraut. Classic!

Ingredients

  • ½ large head green cabbage, finely sliced
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 small potatoes, washed and finely sliced
  • 1 15-oz can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1-2 tbsp sugar, more or less to taste
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped dill, for garnish
  • Sour cream, for garnish

directions

Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat and saute onions until golden brown. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Add cabbage and potatoes to the pot and saute for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until the cabbage and potatoes are tender, about an hour.

Add in lemon juice, sugar, salt & pepper.

Ladle into a bowl and garnish with dill and sour cream.